Biba Knits, Spring 2008

By Anna Wilcoxon

Anyone with an interest in the swinging style of 1960s London should be familiar with the Biba story. Begun in 1964 by fashion illustrator-come-designer Barbara Hulanicki, the company was a runaway hit from its inception. The Biba brand was bought by everyone from teenagers to Twiggy to Bianca Jagger. After years of driving the rapid-fire trends of British youth style at an affordable price, clashes with traditional big-business resulted in the label’s dissolution in 1976. Without any involvement from Hulanicki, the Biba brand was reincarnated in 2006, with a much higher price tag, and without the playful concepts of the original all-encompassing Biba lifestyle (so far). 

Whether you think that the current status of Biba is “bonkers” and off-the-mark (as Hulanicki herself does) and pales in comparison to the original, or if you’re ecstatic to hear the name being brought up once again in fashion circles and love the new collections, it makes no difference. We’re just here to talk about the knitwear. The conceptual goal of the makeup artist for Biba’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection was “knowing freshness”, indicating an innocent façade for sophisticated urbanity, which is an apt summary of the collection as a whole. Think floppy bows, tiers of ruffles, and loads of prints with high-waisted trousers and jaunty millinery. The knitwear presented fits into the more polished end of this aesthetic, but still with a sanguine edge. 

Biba’s knitwear for this collection is highly wearable and versatile, with just enough of a twist to keep things interesting. A basic sweater is smartened up in navy yarn, featuring a widened neck and blocks of contrasting colors at the neck, sleeves, and waist. The shaping is perfect – body-skimming, but just enough. The irreverence of Biba’s past is reflected in items such as this season’s moon-themed sweater (above). While I’m not so much a fan of this particular design, I’m all for experimentation, and it’s great to see a bit of a nod to Biba’s past. I do like Biba’s take on relaxed military style. The (also navy) jacket with copious buttons brings to mind an abbreviated, laid-back pea coat, looking sharp and laid-back at the same time. 

Finally, although I hate to promote librarian-style stereotypes, one of my favorite pieces of knitwear in this collection is a cardigan (shown in the photo on the right). But not just any cardigan. This one hits at mid-thigh, and has a scoop-neck, pockets, and little rolled-cuff sleeves. It looks like something that you would reach for year-round, layered in countless variations. It’s presented on the runway over a long, flowing dress, but would look much more chic accompanied by a less voluminous base – I’d love to wear it over skinny jeans with some great menswear-inspired shoes of the moment.

 

References and Resources List:

“Biba Beauty: Fresh and Traveled”, 20 September 2007, WWD   

“Biba’s Hulanicki Reflects on the Swinging Sixties”, 11 September 2007, WWD

The Biba Experience, (2004), by Alywn Turner

“Biba Reborn”, 23 February 2006, WWD

From A-to-Biba, (1984), by Barbara Hulanicki

 

Anna learned to knit through happy circumstance at a fashion and design school library.  Since then, she enjoys knitting with her  homies, starting things more than finishing them, and hunting down  yarn shops in foreign countries.

Photos: FashionSyndicatePress.com